backyard design

Floor plan of Kallis House by Rudolph M. Schindler, restored by Jeff Fink

An aluminum water-jet cut fence divides separates the house from its neighbors."My favorite part of the courtyard," says Höweler. He and Meejin took one sheet of metal and cut it down the middle in a zig-zag pattern. "It produces a 'screen' look and creates beautiful shadows. I like that it is materially efficient—there is zero waste of material since both sides of the sheet are used."

Sheltered behind the fence that runs along the sidewalk, the plantings give the courtyard the feeling of an urban oasis.

The once-sloping space now has climbing vines, a slatted fence, and foxtail agaves.

The couple asked for a “no maintenance, not low maintenance” backyard. However, Shino tends to “Carlsbad's largest public bathroom for cats” (otherwise known as their Japanese-style rock garden) about once a month. Don't miss a word of Dwell! Download our FREE app from iTunes, friend us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!

A small country road borders the property to the west.

The light well that allows for sunlight AND an addition above

Private courtyard between house and studio

view to new addition from rear lawn

A ramp leads to the entrance door.

“We wanted to ‘cap’ the dwelling with a generous, almost sweeping canopy that would keep the majority of the high sun exposure areas in shade,” says Pande. “We also played with the roof volume to break free from the constraints of a typical ‘box modern’ home.”

Although the renovated house seems significantly taller than it used to, the new roof caps out only six feet higher. The residents were more interested in stretching the design horizontally and extending the eaves as far as they could go. “Let’s get lines, forms, and materials from the inside to the outside of the house,” Greg remembers saying. A side patio with a basalt fireplace enables the residents to enjoy the outdoors even when the weather is cool.

At the terrace, the team replaced or rebuilt brick and concrete as needed. They also stripped and resealed exterior wood elements and incorporated new native landscaping throughout.

Backyard

The lounge deck at the rear yard of Sunset Hills Residence features a swimming pool surrounded by lush gardens. Architect Hsu McCullough's design beautifully merges minimalism with an abundance of nature.

Outside, the landscaped yard consists of multiple courtyards and zen rock garden. A covered patio flows out onto the lush lawn, which is bordered by hedges to protect the space from wind.

Another lush patio area just off the kitchen offers a pergola-topped outdoor kitchen and bar. Other features of the backyard include a fire pit, raised-bed gardens, and matured fruit trees.

La Paloma Gaudi was selected for the exterior brickwork to foil the white-colored ones in the kitchen. Blackbutt wood was used for the decking.